Fragrancehound...the two links I posted - you have to apply for the funds before treatment starts. Why not contact them now, see if you qualify, and get other contacts from them to help out if they have any.

Your Humane Society might even know of some assistance that is available.

Fragrancehound...the two links I posted - you have to apply for the funds before treatment starts. Why not contact them now, see if you qualify, and get other contacts from them to help out if they have any.

Your Humane Society might even know of some assistance that is available.

The imom.org is very specific on who they will except, I'm surprised anyone qualifies. Here's link for "do you qualify" http://imom.org/fa/qualify2.htm
Sad

They give you a grant of $150 if you qualify(catsincrisis.org)
or
Qualifications for Individual Assistance:
(The Applicant must meet one or more of the following)
(These are not required for humane organizations)
Be a recipient of state Medicaid or Medicare
Be a recipient of public assistance
Be a recipient of disability benefits
Be a recipient of unemployment benefits and
registered with an employment agency
Provide documentation of any other extenuating circumstances that you feel qualifies you for assistance

I looked into catsincrisis.org too but I don't think I qualify for their grant either unless I am reading it incorrectly. According to the web site it says:

Meet one of the following criteria to be considered:
Be diagnosed with or strongly suspected by a vet of having one of the following:
Kidney Disease
Heart Disease
Thyroid Disease

Panther does not suffer from any of those health conditions thankfully.

I also looked at their Qualifications for Individual Assistance and their requirements do not apply to my current financial situation.

On another note I keep looking into Panther's golden eyes and I just melt. I am going to see if I can work something out with the vet clinic. I called the oncologist today but she was off so hopefully Monday I can talk to her. I'm wondering if I can schedule Panther's radiation treatments so they are 3 times a week instead of 5 times a week. If that is acceptable and still beneficial for Panther I might be able to pull this off although it will very very tough for the next 2 months. The more I think about it the more I realize that I would be very upset with myself if I didn't exhaust every possible means to help my baby kick this cancer.

I can really "feel" your dilemma and tortured heart through your posts. I cannot add anything to what the others have replied to you, also being in Australia I don't know what is available there and how things work with financing etc.

Have you thought of this, though? - Find out which is the most proactive and advanced-thinking pet/cat oncology research university within reasonable distance and contact them with a view to offering Panther's services as an outpatient for research treatment. Any university research facility worth its salt should welcome with open arms the opportunity to closely study the effects of their own radiotherapy protocols on a cat that is in a loving home environment, if they have the sense to realise that the loving home environment is a crucial factor in the outcome of any treatment process.

The other thing - do you have anything of reasonable value that you can sell?
Say you had a fairly new car - could you trade back to an older model?
Do you have any luxury home appliances you could sell and replace with a more utilitarian basic model - I'm thinking big plasma screen TV back to a small portable model.

Do you have a spare room you could clear out and make function as bed-sitting room you could rent out to a young person or student that would cover the loan repayments?

Here in Australia we have a lot of foreign exchange students, largely from Japan, and you can apply to the authorities to be an accredited PAID accommodation provider for them, providing bed, breakfast and an evening meal. I wonder if you have anything similar there.

Just trying to think laterally for you.

There are many ways of raising money in hurry, and an unsecured bank loan is indeed one of them. Do you have any existing loans you can get a repayment "holiday" on? Here you can be granted relief from making any payments on homeloans etc for a limited period of time for extenuating circumstances. Then you can resume payments later on.

I don't know what else to add.

I do know that with my Sapphire I could feel the tumours regrowing under her skin within 10 days of her operation to remove the tumour. There was no option of radiation, samples had been sent to the cat oncology dept at the uni where my vet lectures, and it was untreatable. So I did not have to face the difficult decision you are facing now.

Under those circumstances I don't know what I would have done, and I would not like to advise you now.

However I would strongly suggest you look at the scenario of being in a difficult financial situation long after Panther has enjoyed his reprieve and eventually passed on to the Rainbow Bridge, if you are on a single income, as I am, and that income is limited, as mine is. You have to do what is right and best for Panther, and you also have to do what is right and best for you.

If you're earning squillions, or have the prospect of doing so, that's great. If not, and you have to grieve the loss of Panther at some stage in the future, if you are also in deep financial hardship, well, that would be very difficult to bear.

I pray you come to a decision and that you and Panther can find help and be spared any more heartache.

With much love
The TopCats

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats. (Albert Schweitzer)

Ok after much discussion with my bf and consulting with a few different oncologists I have decided to move forward with radiation treatment. My bf who has been very supportive made a good point which was I would not be able to forgive myself if I didn't exhaust whatever reasonable options are available for my cat to get better. I just couldn't live with the guilt. Afterall he is my 16 lb. baby! My bf is going to give me half of the money and I can probably put the rest on my credit cards. It still is going to be very tight financially the next 2-3 months but the oncologist said I can spread out Panther's treatment over a 6 week timeframe instead of 4 weeks so that will help a little.

Today Panther went in for the remaining bloodwork and x-ray tests to make sure he is able to withstand the radiation treatments and the anethesia he is going to need each time. I should get the results Monday and if all is well he starts his first radiation treatment next week. On a positive note his biopsy margin results came back clean so I am really hopeful that after his radiation treaments he will be completely cancer free!!!

That is wonderful news all round. I am so happy for you and Panther. What a great friend you have there. You must feel so much better already having come to a decision. My best wishes to you all. Good luck Panther!!

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats. (Albert Schweitzer)

Fibrosarcome Treatment Option to Surgery - NEOPLASENE Protocol

Originally Posted by fragrancehound

Last week I felt a large, hard lump by my cat's back/hip area near his tail. I took him to the vet over the weekend and she ran a series of tests including blood work, a chest x-ray and a needle aspiration. Both the blood work and the chest x-ray came back fine. No problems. I am still waiting on the results for the needle aspiration but the vet thinks it might possibly be fibrosarcoma or even hardened scar tissue of some sort. She can't really tell until she gets the results from this last test but she doesn't sound very optimistic because this lump is so hard and not soft like other lumps or bumps. She said if it is fibrosarcoma she will have to call in a specialist to have this tumor removed which can be very costly, possibly over $1,000. I would do anything I possibly can to save my baby's life but I am wondering from a financial standpoint how much can surgery and treatment run? I've spent over $400 already with this last visit. I guess I want to get a better idea financially what I need to save so I am prepared.

I have been crying so much already. I just can't imagine my cat being sick. He does not act sick at all nor does he demonstrate the usual signs of an ill cat. He is using the liter box w/o any problems, eats and drinks just fine, and is playful. His coat is in excellent condition too, even the vet remarked how silky it was to the touch. If he had fibrosarcoma wouldn't there be some indication of it in the blood work?

Anyway, I'm wondering does anyone here have any experience with fibrosarcoma? What should I expect? Everthing I have read so far has been pretty dismal.

I have an 7yo cat Chloe that had a pea-sized lump in her flank, I had it surgically removed, biopsy siad it was fibrosarcoma, and vet said if she had known, would have amputated b/c these are notorious for coming back aggressively. In a year it had regrown to 1/2 a pear on her flank.

Had a consult at a local speciality clinic's oncology dept. Diagnosis was poor on success rate, but they were willing to x-ray, blood work and MRI her, amputate (with no promises on survival or cancer remission) even though it may progress to her spine area, and follow up with chemo, etc. Bill would be about 3K+. I have insurance and would be willing - but to torture her with all of this, and the chances of survival being very small... decided her quality of life was more important for the short time she has left.

Since her tumor was bursting through her skin... I was desperate, as that signal the end, pretty much... and came across an option: NEOPLASENE from Buck Mountain Botanicals

I called them, got the name of vets familiar with this protocal in my area, and took Chloe there. Have been doing the topical treatment with oral since Nov 1. 2012. Its been 3 weeks and she has gotten lethargic and lost her appetite... but once I gave her fluids, she perked up actually tried to eat something today.

Its a LOT of work... DAILY dressing of open wound where the tumor has been eaten away by the Neo (cleaning with hydrogen peroxide, dabbing away dead tumor tissue, wrapping in gauze - you need help holding your cat, and have to be VERY careful to secure the dressing WITHOUT causing rubbing on other tissue - and causing more wounds), keeping wieght up with special foods liquids and hi-cal paste if required, giving sub-Q fluids if dehydration happens due to lack of appetite)... but its FAR CHEAPER than the surgery, and my cat keeps her leg.

Its going okay so far... its pretty gory gross looking BUT I love my cat, so I am dealing with this... and I should be able to dress wounds like a paramedic when I am done.

Let me know if you have Qs and I will share all my info with you... I was in the same situation and desperate to do something aside from surgery or a deathwatch.